Cablevision Systems Corp. has signed a long-term distribution deal to carry broadcast and cable networks owned by Comcast's NBCUniversal unit. The agreement includes broadcast networks NBC and Telemundo as well as cable channels USA, Bravo, MSNBC, CNBC and NBC Sports Network. Cablevision has more than 3 million subscribers, primarily in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The NBCUniversal accord is Cablevision's third in recent months with a major content supplier. It has also signed agreements with CBS and Walt Disney Co. All the deals were reached without customers losing any signals, which often happens during these negotiations, including when Cablevision and News Corp.

When new technology races ahead of the law, judges are often put in the uncomfortable position of judging what the innovation is really doing. Is it something truly different, or a familiar thing done in a new way? That's the question raised by Aereo, the service that lets people view and time-shift local TV broadcasts through the Internet. The courts have been split over whether to treat Aereo as a new version of cable TV - which, consequently, must pay retransmission fees to broadcasters - or a groundbreaking offer of a TV antenna as a service, combined with a cloud-based digital video recorder.

One white whale down, one to go. The NFL Network has signed a long-term distribution agreement with Cablevision Systems Corp., leaving Time Warner Cable as the only major pay-TV distributor that isn't carrying the sports channel. The deal between the NFL and New York-based Cablevision puts the cable channel in over 60 million homes. Cablevision has 3 million subscribers, mostly in the New York City area. A spokesman for the cable operator said a significant number of its customers will get the channel as part of their basic package.

Cablevision Systems Corp., a New York-based cable operator, blasted the arguments made by broadcasters in a Supreme Court filing seeking to shut down Aereo, a start-up company that delivers local television station signals to consumers via the Internet. In a statement, Cablevision said the case that broadcasters including Fox, CBS, ABC and NBC are attempting to make against Aereo is a "willful attempt to stifle innovation. " Specifically, Cablevision is concerned about remarks in the filing regarding its own remote digital video recording service, which also beat back legal challenges when it was first introduced.

Tribune Co. said Cablevision Systems Corp. is to blame for its channels coming off of the pay-TV distributor's systems in the New York City area and Colorado. In a statement, Tribune said it was willing to allow Cablevision to continue carrying its stations -- including WPIX-TV New York, WPHL-TV Philadelphia and the cable channel WGN -- while the two sides continued to try to hammer out a new distribution deal. The signals, Tribune said, were pulled in the middle of negotiations "without warning.

Cablevision Systems Corp., one of the nation's biggest pay-TV distributors, has filed a lawsuit against Viacom, parent of popular cable channels such as MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central. At issue is how Viacom sells its cable networks to pay-TV distributors. Cablevision said Viacom forces it to carry low-rated channels in return for access to its stronger networks. “The manner in which Viacom sells its programming is illegal, anti-consumer, and wrong," Cablevision charged in a statement.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. On Tuesday, Viacom, parent of MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, was accused in a lawsuit filed by New York-based cable operator Cablevision Systems Corp. of engaging in anti-competitive and monopolistic business practices. The suit, filed in federal court in New York, charges that Viacom unfairly leverages the strength of its strong networks to get distribution for its weaker channels. "Viacom effectively forces Cablevision's customers to pay for and receive little-watched channels in order to get the channels they actually want," the suit said, adding that such behavior is an abuse of market power and does irreparable harm to the pay-TV industry.

"The Walking Dead" and other hit shows from cable channel AMC are coming back to Dish Network as the result of the satellite broadcaster settling a lawsuit with Cablevision Systems Corp. On Sunday, Dish and Cablevision announced a settlement in their long-running legal battle over a now-defunct programming service called Voom HD. Dish has agreed to pay $700 million to Cablevision and AMC Networks, both of which are controlled by the Charles Dolan family. Dish also said it would resume carrying AMC, WE and other channels owned by AMC Networks, which it had dropped in July.

The broadcast industry has received support from an unusual source in its legal battle against Aereo: a new company that distributes local TV signals over the Internet. In an amicus brief filed late Friday in federal court in New York, Cablevision Systems Corp. said Aereo's service violates copyright laws. What makes this filing significant is that it is a legal victory Cablevision scored against the TV industry that Aereo has cited in making the case that its service does not violate copyright law. Aereo, a start-up backed by Barry Diller's IAC/InterActive Corp., offers a service that transmits the signals of local broadcast stations via the Internet to smartphones, tablets and Internet-friendly TVs. Aereo charges subscribers a monthly fee of $12 for a small antenna that receives broadcast signals and a remote digital video recorder that can hold up to 40 hours of shows.

Tribune Co. announced an agreement to sell Long Island newspaper Newsday to Cablevision Systems Corp. for $650 million. The deal would give Tribune $630 million in cash to pay down its nearly $13-billion debt. Two-thirds of that was incurred in December's $8.2-billion buyout of the company, which was orchestrated by Chicago real estate entrepreneur Sam Zell. Tribune owns the Los Angeles Times, KTLA-TV Channel 5, the Chicago Tribune and other media properties around the country.

Sprout is spreading its roots. The kids network aimed at children ages 2 to 5 has landed a distribution deal with Cablevision Systems Corp., a large pay-TV operator in the New York City area. Getting access to Cablevision subscribers is key for Sprout because the cable operator serves affluent parts of Long Island as well as Brooklyn and Queens. Overall, Sprout is available in a little over 50 million homes. Sprout, which is a partnership between NBCUniversal, PBS and Apax Funds, has enjoyed steady ratings growth thanks in part to its original series "The Chica Show," about a chicken.

After the coffee. Before seeing my accountant. The Skinny: I finally got a new BlackBerry. Laugh away, but I like having a keypad. Wednesday's stories include the start of a civil war in the TV business, a look at new Dodgers owner Guggenheim Partners, and DreamWorks taking a big write-down. Daily Dose: The battle among business news channels is heating up. In recent weeks, CNBC bookers (the folks who line up guests) have been telling people they can't come on CNBC if they also go on Fox Business or Bloomberg.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. On Tuesday, Viacom, parent of MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, was accused in a lawsuit filed by New York-based cable operator Cablevision Systems Corp. of engaging in anti-competitive and monopolistic business practices. The suit, filed in federal court in New York, charges that Viacom unfairly leverages the strength of its strong networks to get distribution for its weaker channels. "Viacom effectively forces Cablevision's customers to pay for and receive little-watched channels in order to get the channels they actually want," the suit said, adding that such behavior is an abuse of market power and does irreparable harm to the pay-TV industry.

A New York cable company fired the opening salvo in a long-anticipated media war that could give consumers more choices in subscribing to pay television - and upend the way companies have long done business. Cable operator Cablevision Systems Corp. filed suit Tuesday in federal court in New York accusing Viacom Inc., parent of MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, of anti-competitive behavior. At issue is whether Viacom uses its leverage to force distributors such as Cablevision to carry low-rated networks in return for access to its popular channels, a practice known in the industry as bundling.

Cablevision Systems Corp., one of the nation's biggest pay-TV distributors, has filed a lawsuit against Viacom, parent of popular cable channels such as MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central. At issue is how Viacom sells its cable networks to pay-TV distributors. Cablevision said Viacom forces it to carry low-rated channels in return for access to its stronger networks. “The manner in which Viacom sells its programming is illegal, anti-consumer, and wrong," Cablevision charged in a statement.

Cablevision Systems Corp. has signed a long-term distribution deal to carry broadcast and cable networks owned by Comcast's NBCUniversal unit. The agreement includes broadcast networks NBC and Telemundo as well as cable channels USA, Bravo, MSNBC, CNBC and NBC Sports Network. Cablevision has more than 3 million subscribers, primarily in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The NBCUniversal accord is Cablevision's third in recent months with a major content supplier. It has also signed agreements with CBS and Walt Disney Co. All the deals were reached without customers losing any signals, which often happens during these negotiations, including when Cablevision and News Corp.

After the coffee. Before seeing my accountant. The Skinny: I finally got a new BlackBerry. Laugh away, but I like having a keypad. Wednesday's stories include the start of a civil war in the TV business, a look at new Dodgers owner Guggenheim Partners, and DreamWorks taking a big write-down. Daily Dose: The battle among business news channels is heating up. In recent weeks, CNBC bookers (the folks who line up guests) have been telling people they can't come on CNBC if they also go on Fox Business or Bloomberg.

"The Walking Dead" and other hit shows from cable channel AMC are coming back to Dish Network as the result of the satellite broadcaster settling a lawsuit with Cablevision Systems Corp. On Sunday, Dish and Cablevision announced a settlement in their long-running legal battle over a now-defunct programming service called Voom HD. Dish has agreed to pay $700 million to Cablevision and AMC Networks, both of which are controlled by the Charles Dolan family. Dish also said it would resume carrying AMC, WE and other channels owned by AMC Networks, which it had dropped in July.

After the coffee. Before choosing between the debate and the baseball playoffs. The Skinny: I have got to stop turning these football games off at halftime. That Broncos comeback would have been fun to watch. Tuesday's headlines include a curtain-raiser on News Corp.'s annual meeting, India-based Reliance Media's thoughts on outsourcing and an update on the Cablevision - Dish Network trial. Daily Dose: Sports personality Dan Patrick, host of his popular radio and TV morning talk show , is getting a new home.